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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27930472">Breadcrumbs</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NuclearNik/pseuds/NuclearNik'>NuclearNik</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Zutara Drabble December [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Family Fluff, Gen, Steambaby, Turtleduck(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:21:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>785</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27930472</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NuclearNik/pseuds/NuclearNik</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Katara comes home to a messy kitchen, two guilty faces, and some unexpected guests.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Zutara Drabble December [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2039909</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>ZK Drabble December 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Breadcrumbs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for Zutara Drabble December Day 4. Prompt: Blame it on me</p><p>Note: Tapeesa is a name meaning arctic flower</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Shhhh. Okay, one more."</p><p>Zuko turned the corner in the kitchen, not at all prepared for the scene before him.</p><p>The double doors leading out to a courtyard with a small pond were wide open, and a trail of muddy footprints swirled around on the floor to the counter where they came to an abrupt end. </p><p>He looked up, and there on the counter facing away from him sat his daughter, a stool on the ground below her swinging legs, and two turtleducks beside her that were so covered in mud and gunk that he almost couldn't identify them. </p><p>"<em>More</em>?" The little voice sounded exasperated. "'Kay. 'Kay." She reached one hand into the bread box next to her, pulling a hunk from the fresh loaf and tearing it into smaller pieces before letting the ducks pluck them from her fingers.</p><p>Despite the mess, the scene was so adorable he didn't have it in him to stop her, so he watched for a few minutes. Three times she mumbled, "Last one, 'kay?" and three times she sunk her fingers into the bread loaf and ripped out another chunk.</p><p>Katara had finished that bread this morning, and it was supposed to be for dinner tonight when they'd have his uncle over for a visit. </p><p>It hit him suddenly that she would not be very happy to see it now, missing large chunks in several places, barely even recognizable as a loaf anymore.</p><p>He should probably try to salvage what was left.</p><p>"Hey baby." Her head lifted, those bright blue eyes sparkling with excitement and pride as she presented her filthy new friends, introducing them as "Milk" and something with an overabundance of vowels he couldn't quite make out.</p><p>"Saved dem." </p><p>"You saved them?"</p><p>She grinned, showing off her crooked front teeth as she nodded vehemently. "From mud."</p><p>"Well, that was very nice of you. I'm sure they're grateful. But mommy is going to be home soon, and you and I have a lot of cleaning to do so you need to say goodbye to your friends and let them back outside, alright?" </p><p>Just as he snagged her around the waist and went to gently set her down on the ground, the front door opened.</p><p>"I think we're about to get busted, baby."</p><p>"Uh oh," his daughter supplied helpfully, and he had to stifle a laugh. </p><p>
  <em> Uh oh indeed. </em>
</p><p>"Zuko?" Katara called out, voice ringing down the hallway as her steps brought her closer and closer until…</p><p>Until she stood in the doorway to the kitchen staring at the wasteland it had become and the two turtleducks still standing on her counter, quacking softly.</p><p>Turning to him with one eyebrow raised, she stared him down, not saying a word, until he finally broke.</p><p>"It was my fault. I left the bread box open and she found her stool and dragged it in here, but look at the turtleducks! They'll be very cute once we rinse them off." He lifted their little girl in the air and pressed his cheek to hers, looking at Katara with imploring eyes and hoping Tapeesa was employing her signature pout.</p><p>"How could you stay mad at these faces, anyway?"</p><p>The hint of a smile danced on her lips and he knew he had her.</p><p>"Okay, fine. Let's rinse them off and let them dry, and then they're going back outside."</p><p>She strode over and snatched their daughter from Zuko's arms, lifting her up to blow raspberries on her tummy, eliciting manic giggles from the toddler. </p><p>"And then we're cleaning up. Uncle Iroh is coming tonight! We need to get things nice and clean for him, okay, little moonbeam?"</p><p>Tapeesa clapped her hands, nodding wildly as Katara set her down, happy to be involved no matter the chore.</p><p>When she noticed Katara looking at the destroyed bread, she tugged on her hand until she got her attention.</p><p>"Sowwy, mama. Ducks needed me."</p><p>As he watched Katara pull Tapeesa into a hug and tell her it was alright, he was struck with amusement at the similarities between them. </p><p>Before they'd had kids, Katara was always bringing strays home, and she knew better than anyone how hard it was to say no to animal in need.</p><p>Walking over, he pulled his girls into his arms, overwhelmed for a moment with how much he loved his little family. He'd almost gotten lost in the moment when a perturbed quack sounded, and they all turned to see the turtleducks trying to find a way off the counter.</p><p>With a soft brush of her lips against his jaw, Katara pulled away and they commenced cleaning, laughing and chatting over the happy babbling of a toddler and two annoyed turtleducks.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks so much for reading this silliness!</p><p>If you're on tumblr, come say hi to me @nuclearnik &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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